Becoming Who I am

4

There was a knock on Alex's door, and he ran to get it. "Hey..." He partially shouted in excitement as he answered the door. "Jenna." He said, Disappointed.

"Gee, don't sound so happy to see me!" She playfully waged a finger at him.

"How did you get in?" Alex asked, waving his arm to invite her in.

"Your code is your birthday, honey!" Jenna smiled cheerfully at him as she entered. "So how was last night? Benji was a honorable man and said nothing about last night." She said as she was flopping on his couch. "Did you park your car in his garage?" Alex only blushed; Jenna had known Alex long enough to know what a blush with a quick glance was. No, Benji parked his car in Alex's garage. "Well, you've got some at least!" She chuckled. Alex glanced at the door. "Oh, are you expecting someone else?"

"Jenna!" Alex whined. "I have a date! And Soon!"

"I know," she said smugly.

"YOU know!?" Alex glared at her.

"Yes, Benji wants pictures, and he wants me to make sure you're dressed okay." She said. "And I think you look just fine."

There was another knock on the door. "Hi!' Alex answered it excitedly. "FRANK!?" He stated with a blink he was a bit surprised to see him. Then it hit him when he saw the dishwasher. "Shit, I'm sorry, I totally forgot about dinner."

"That's ok, kid!" Frank grunted. "I kind of figured you did when you said you had a date tonight." He wheeled the dishwasher In. "Dinner with your boss can wait." He smiled.

"Thank's frank!" Alex blushed, feeling awful for forgetting but worse for being glad it was okay. Jenna coughed. "Frank, this is my best friend Jenna."

"Nice to meet you!" Frank smiled at Jenna. The two made an interesting pair. Jennna eyed Frank a bit suspiciously. And dinner with your boss?

"Just doing some upgrades to the apartment here since Alex put in all the work to make it sparkle." He added. "It was pretty rough in here before Alex got to it."

"Yea." Jenna chuckled. "Give Alex a bottle of Lysol, and there isn't anything that won't be Lysol-clean by the time he gets done."

"Or three!" Alex corrected.

"Alex, could you give me a quick hand getting this old dishwasher out?" Frank asked. "Then I'll be out of your hair."

Frank installed the new dishwasher and left; Jenna followed. "What's your deal?" She stopped him, not hiding her pointedness.

"My young, nearly 18-year-old friend and you, I mean." Jenna gloured at Frank; she was seething with overprotectiveness.

"Oh!" Frank laughed. "Strictly between you and me?" He asked Jenna, who nodded. "Alex is probably going to be one of my best managers!" He smiled. "I mean the one I send all my new managers to train!" Jenna blinked at him, dumbfounded. "So if $1200 in updates keeps Alex happy, so he gives me many years of what I can only describe as the hardest work I've ever seen."

Ok, I Get your point!" Jenna said it with a bit of a proud grin.

"Besides, he needed a break." Frank added, and Jenna nodded. "And besides, you being female makes you more my type; you're just a bit too young!" He added in a tone implying that she was way to young.

"Thank you for taking care of my friend." Jenna said it with a hug then Jenna went back into the apartment.

Bennji nodded politely at Frank as they passed each other. "Sir!" He said it with a curt nod, impressing Frank ever so slightly. Perhaps he was a bit too fond of Alex, but there was no denying that Alex's story was sadly compelling. Frank couldn't understand how ignorant people could be. By all accounts, Alex was a great kid. He'd adopt Alex if he could.